Overview
Engagement and Communication Tools are used to disseminate information, gauge interest, and evoke action about a new initiative, program, or intervention. Managers and administrators may introduce a new initiative at an all-staff meeting by providing talking points, factual information, and flyers. Supervisors may discuss the new initiative during a unit meeting by presenting statistics and fact sheets. Social workers may talk to their peers about the initiative by presenting advertisements in the form of an introductory letter or brochure.
Engagement and Communication Tools
Examples, provided below, may include, but are not limited to:
- Fact sheets
- Example #1 - Facts about what happens to children who live without fathers
- Example #2 - Strategies, Inc., provides a list of things to do to build strong relationships with father
- Important statistics - A culmination of statistics about fathers from various sources
- Introductory letters - An example of a letter written by management to inform his/her department about a new father engagement initiative
- Flyers
- Example #1 - Strategies, Inc., provides a series of informational webinars with fathers/father engagement as the topic. Multiple audiences can attend the webinars.
- Example #2 - Napa County distributes this flyer to staff within and outside of the child welfare system as a recruiting tool.
- Brochures - Another state's example of a brochure that can be used as an informational tool or a tool for recruiting fathers
- Talking points
- Example #1 - Napa County provides a list of things that people can do to resolve conflicts.
- Example #2 - Napa County provides a list of rights/privileges of parents.
- Example #3 - Napa County provides a list of things that fathers can do to be better fathers.
- Example #4 - (SPANISH) Napa County provides a list of things that fathers can do to be better father.
- Advertisement
- Example # 1 - A video developed by the Northern Region Training Academy; it stresses the importance of an involved father, shows experts talking about fatherhood, and integrates President Obama's speech on fatherhood.
- Other valuable information
- Example #1 - A PowerPoint presentation by Pamela Stewart, Training Supervisor, San Bernardino County, and Mark Lane, Director of Children and Family Services, San Mateo County
- Example #2 - A PowerPoint presentation by Kyle Pruett, Yale University, discussing why it is vitally important to incorporate father awareness into child welfare practice
Engagement and Communication Tools Used by Our Partners
Here is a sample of communication tools that have been used in organizations with staff, the community, and other stakeholders.